Lately I've heard some rumblings from a few different people that the NBA needs to start recording the hockey assist -- that is, crediting a player for making the pass that sets up the pass that results in a score. Sounds a bit confusing, doesn't it? When you describe it, I suppose it does, but it's a simple thing and something they've done in hockey forever. Plus, Raptors coach Sam Mitchell thinks that it might actually benefit the flow of the game, at least among players concerned about their individual statistics. From the Toronto Star:"If I'm T.J. Ford, I want the assist," said Mitchell, by way of example. "So instead of me swinging it to (Jorge Garbajosa) and Garbo swinging it to Anthony Parker in the corner and Anthony Parker shooting the wide-open shot, if I'm T.J., why don't I just see if there's a way I can skip Garbo and throw it to Anthony Parker directly?"Ideally you'd like to think that players just play without any concern for the box score, but considering the phenomena of the "contract year" is a very real thing, we all know that's simply not the case. Incorporating another statistic that could hypothetically reward players for being less selfish would only be a good thing.
Ford's logic, in this completely hypothetical sketch, is understandable. NBA point guards are often judged, however erroneously, by one statistic – assists per game. So the best play for the team isn't always the best play for either a player's reputation or his net worth.
Don't expect the NBA to suddenly adopt it, though. First it'd have to gain traction at a site like 82games.com, just like how plus/minus stat (another good idea directly lifted from hockey) did in recent seasons. And then, once the NBA is ready to "unveil" it, they'd likely find a way to cash in by finding a sponsor first -- just like how the NBA wants us to call the plus/minus stat the "Lenovo Stat," the hockey assist would likely be dubbed something ridiculous like the FedEx Stat. But I'd be OK with that -- whatever it takes to get the ball rolling for more innovative ways of analyzing the game is fine with me.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-22-2007 @ 6:27PM
Bruce Broer said...
I like the idea. Effective passing in the NBA is almost non existent and sometimes a good play takes more than one pass to find the open man. Then you have stat minded players like a Kobe Bryant who really don't want to pass the ball unless it goes down on the stat sheet as an assist. Their poor coach has to invent seven second rule for Kobe just to get him to move the ball and get an offensibve flow going.
For a team like Miami that has a big like Shaq it would be nice in that the pass back out may not directly result in a fg,but the secomnd pass may find an open player who had to double on the first pass to Shaq. I love ball movement and it often takes more than one pass to get a great shot. One great example at FIBA was the initial pass from Kidd to Lebron going to the rim and then LeBron would kick it out to the side to a wide open Redd or Anthony. That is great basketball and though Kidd is always a team first player not a stat guy like a Kobe,why shouldn't he get credit for setting things up with an initial pass? Heck if Kobe can get a stat for it,maybe he'll let go of the ball in a timely manner once in a while too and he can help the Lakers reach their potential and won't have to try to find teammates who he thinks can win for him. One can make or break his own teammates. Some choose to make them,some chooses to break them.
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10-23-2007 @ 12:59PM
Maverick said...
This stat would show that Steve Nash is no more effective in Phoenix than he was in Dallas. Don Nelson's offense relied on the extra pass to open up shooters, while Nash is passing directly to his scoring teammate in Phoenix.
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10-23-2007 @ 5:48PM
Bruce Broer said...
Nash has younger,quicker guys in Phoenix. That is why it works so well. In addition the guy is a great decisionmaker with a nice shot that he only uses as a last resort. That is the strength of Nash,he knows where to send the ball and he can visualize and react to his options quickly. There is not a lot of dead time when he has the ball,he makes everyone dangerous. He can create offense for people no matter where he is,but I disagree about not being more effective if for no other reason than the personnel he has in Phoenix a combination of young guys quick to the hole and outside shooters who can benefit from the defense filling up the paint and get plenty of open looks.
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